Mandevilla plant named ‘Monproud’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Mandevilla  plant named ‘Monproud’, characterized by its vining plant habit; compact growth habit; short internode; variegated leaves; developing foliage; red and green; fully expanded foliage, pale yellow, green and grayed green; and red purple-colored flowers with yellow-colored throats.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Mandevilla sandericultivar Monproud.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofMandevilla plant, botanically known as Mandevilla sanderi, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Monproud’.

The new Mandevilla is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of theMandevilla sanderi cultivar Red Riding Hood, not patented. The newMandevilla was discovered and selected by the Inventor in August, 1999in a controlled environment in Azusa, Calif., from within a populationof plants of the cultivar Red Riding Hood.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by tissue culture in alaboratory in Azusa, Calif., since September, 2000, has shown that theunique features of this new Mandevilla are stable and reproduced true totype in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Monproud have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Monproud’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Monproud’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofMandevilla:

1. Vining plant habit.

2. Compact growth habit, short internodes.

3. Variegated leaves; developing foliage, red and green; fully expandedfoliage, pale yellow, green and grayed green.

4. Red purple-colored flowers with yellow-colored throats.

Plants of the new Mandevilla are most similar to plants of the parent,the cultivar Red Riding Hood. In side-by-side comparisons conducted inAzusa, Calif., plants of the new cultivar differed from plants of thecultivar Red Riding Hood in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Mandevilla were more compact with shorterinternodes than plants of the cultivar Red Riding Hood.

2. Leaves of plants of the new Mandevilla were variegated whereas leavesof plants of the cultivar Red Riding Hood were solid green in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Mandevilla.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical plant of ‘Monproud’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a close-up view oftypical flowers and leaves of ‘Monproud’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for theabove-mentioned photographs and description were about 2.5 years oldwhen the photographs and description were taken. Plants were grown inseven-gallon containers and under commercial production conditions in anoutdoor nursery in Azusa, Calif. during the summer. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 21 to 29° C. andnight temperatures ranged from 7 to 16° C.

Botanical classification: Mandevilla sanderi cultivar Monproud.

Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of Mandevilla sandericultivar Red Riding Hood, not patented.

Propagation:

Type.—By cuttings.

Time to initiate roots on a micro-propagated plant.—About 45 days.

Time to produce a rooted micro-propagated plant.—About 150 days.

Root description.—Numerous, fibrous and freely branching; white to tanin color.

Plant description:

Form.—Perennial evergreen flowering plant; twining vine. Plantsinitially upright, then vining and requiring support to maintain uprighthabit. Plants are typically pinched to enhance lateral branchdevelopment; potentially two lateral branches form at every node. Plantscompact with short internodes.

Plant height (length).—About 105 cm.

Plant diameter, single plant.—About 46 cm.

Vigor.—Moderately vigorous.

Lateral branches.—Length: About 100 cm, variable. Diameter: About 6 mm.Internode length: About 6 cm. Shape in cross-section: Round. Strength:Flexible, strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Young stems: 144A.Developing stems: 177B. Fully developed, woody stems: 166B to 166C.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple. Length: About 6 cm.Width: About 3.8 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin:Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; leathery,durable. Venation pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Petiole length: About 1 cm.Petiole diameter: About 3 mm. Color: Developing foliage, upper surface:179A with random areas of 137B. Developing foliage, lower surface: 179Awith random areas of 137C. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 11Cwith random areas of 194A and 147B. Fully expanded foliage, lowersurface: 11D with random areas of 191A. Venation, upper and lowersurfaces: Same as lamina. Petiole: 144A to 144B.

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.—Large single flowers arranged in loose racemes,racemes axillary. About four to five flowers and flower buds per raceme;at full flower, about two or three developing racemes per plant. Flowersface mostly outwardly. Flowers persistent. Flowers not fragrant.

Natural flowering season.—Spring until frost in the autumn; floweringcontinuous.

Flowering longevity on the plant.—About one week.

Flowers.—Appearance: Single salverform flowers. Diameter: About 5.5 cm.Depth (length): About 6 cm.

Flower buds (just showing color).—Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About4 mm. Shape: Ovoid, elongated. Color: 2C; towards apex, 58C.

Petals.—Quantity per flower: About five in a single whorl; petalsimbricate. Length: About 3 cm. Width: About 2 cm. Shape: Obovate toroughly spatulate. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire. Texture,upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, satiny. Color: When opening, uppersurface: 58B. When opening, lower surface: 58C to 58D with longitudinalstreaks, 155D. Fully opened, upper surface: 58B to 58C. Fully opened,lower surface: 58D with longitudinal streaks, 155D. Throat: 13A. Tube:58D with longitudinal streaks, 155D; towards the base, 1C streaked with59D.

Sepals.—Quantity: Five per flower in a single whorl; star-shaped calyx.Length: About 8 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute.Base: Fused. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,glabrous. Color, upper surface: 145B. Color, lower surface: 145C.

Pedicels.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle: About 45°from stem. Strength: Flexible, strong. Color: 145A.

Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About five adnate tocorolla tube and fused around gynoecium. Anther shape: Linear. Antherlength: About 8 mm. Anther diameter: About 1.5 mm. Anther color: 10B.Pollen: Scarce. Pollen color: 10B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.Pistil length: About 1.7 cm. Stigma color: 1B. Style length: About 1.2cm. Style color: 1B. Ovary color: 145A.

Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.

Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have not beennoted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Mandevilla.

Weather tolerance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have been observed to betolerant to rain and wind and tolerant to temperatures from 0 to 43° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Mandevilla plant named‘Monproud’, as illustrated and described.